What are good prayers to pray for unbelievers?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Scripture shows that the greatest blessing any human being can have is a relationship with the Lord. Even in the Old Testament, the Mosaic Law made provision for foreigners who wanted to live among the people who worshiped the true God (Exodus 12:48-49; Numbers 15:14-16). In the New Testament, the Gospel message is all about inviting people to know Christ (Matthew 28:19-20). Our prayer for unbelievers, then, should be for them to repent and believe in Jesus Christ so that they can have personal relationship with Him and experience eternal life (John 3:15-18, 14:6, 17:3). Aside from praying to God about unbelievers’ personal needs, such as their safety, relationships, and health, we can ask God to help us minister to them well. This goes beyond praying for their salvation; we can make a concerted effort to pray that the Lord gives us boldness to directly share the Gospel with them (Acts 4:13, 29) and show God’s love to them through our words and actions (Luke 10:25-37; Galatians 6:10; 1 Peter 3:15-17). One of the most difficult, yet important, prayers is asking God to grant us the strength to love and pray for unbelievers who treat us poorly and persecute us (Matthew 5:44),

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Even in the Old Testament, foreigners who wanted to follow the true God were permitted to live among God’s chosen people, with God specifying protections for them (Exodus 12:48-49; Numbers 15:14-16). Ruth and Rahab were foreigners who chose to live with the nation of Israel and even had the honor of being in the lineage of Jesus Christ (Ruth 1:16; Joshua 6:25).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Repentance: We can pray that God will soften the hearts of unbelievers and draw them to Himself (John 6:44), whatever that takes. In John 17, Jesus prayed for eternal life for those whom God gave Him. He also said, "And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John 17:3). Clearly, God wants people to know Him, and the only way to know God is through Jesus (John 3:15-18; 14:6). It is in line with His will to pray for repentance unto salvation for unbelievers.
• Boldness to share the Gospel: We can ask for boldness to talk to unbelievers about God (Acts 4:13, 29).
• Ways to show God’s love: We can pray to be used by God to speak the truth to unbelievers and to tangibly demonstrate God's love to them (Galatians 6:10).
• Godly direction in interactions: We can ask God for direction in how to best convey to others the hope we have in Christ (1 Peter 3:15-17).
• Strength to love our enemies: It can be difficult to love unbelievers who seek to persecute us or abuse us, but we can ask God to enable us to show love to all people (Matthew 5:44), including them. The kind of love we show is not based on feelings but on the self-sacrificial love Christ showed us.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

We can pray for unbelievers in countless ways. Second Peter 3:9 shows us God's heart for those who do not yet know Him: "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." Knowing that God wants unbelievers to come to repentance should motivate us to pray for unbelievers’ salvation. We can pray for those in unreached areas of the world to hear the Gospel. We can also pray that God will soften the hearts of unrepentant friends and family members so that they would come to know Jesus as their personal Savior. We can also pray for other issues in their lives, such as physical healing, restoration of their broken relationships with others, and the list goes on. But prayers for their salvation are most important because they have implications for not only this life, but for eternity.

UNDERSTAND

• We should pray for unbelievers to come to faith in Jesus and receive eternal life.
• We also need boldness and wisdom to share the Gospel and show God’s love, so we should pray to God to gift us with both.
• We should pray for strength to love and intercede even for those who oppose us.

REFLECT

• How often do you pray for unbelievers to come to faith in Jesus, and what might help you do so more intentionally?
• When have you felt hesitant to share the Gospel, and how could you ask God for boldness and wisdom in those moments?
• How can you rely on God’s strength to love and pray for unbelievers who treat you with hostility or indifference?

ENGAGE

• Why is praying for unbelievers’ salvation essential to understanding God’s heart for the world?
• How can we encourage each other to be bold and loving witnesses to unbelievers?
• How can we pray more effectively and specifically for unbelievers, both locally and globally?